Update, 5:30 p.m.: The University announced via CornellALERT on Tuesday, March 14 around 5 p.m. that the Ithaca and AgriTech campuses will re-open at 3 a.m. Wednesday, March 15 and return to normal operations.
The University has announced that the Ithaca and AgriTech campuses will close on Tuesday, March 14 beginning at 3 a.m. and will tentatively reopen on Wednesday, March 15 at 3 a.m. due to a severe snowstorm that has been forecasted to produce between nine and 18 inches of snow and winds gusting up to 40 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.
This announcement comes despite a 2020 policy that stated in-person classes would move online during periods of inclement weather. However, current University policy regarding inclement weather is decided by the Administration’s assessment of public safety.
CornellALERT will send a message regarding reopening plans no later than Tuesday evening. As part of the closure, all University classes, exams, events and activities will be canceled.
Although residence halls will remain open, the CornellALERT emergency messaging service has cautioned students to limit outdoor exposure. Libraries and on-campus retail stores will be closed.
Travel will be heavily impacted, with blowing snow and blizzard conditions impacting visibility, falling tree branches and power outages all possible. Up-to-date road conditions can be obtained by calling 511.
“Campus personnel will be clearing roads and walkways but continuous snowfall and blowing snow may cause surfaces to remain snow covered and slippery,” the Office of Emergency Management wrote in an email that was sent to all students on Monday evening at around 6:15 p.m. “If you must venture out on Tuesday or Wednesday, check the relevant web sites to determine the current operating status of services and facilities, dress for the weather, plan your route carefully and allow extra time for travel.”
Cornellians can check the University’s operating status or by calling the Inclement Weather Line at 607-255-3377. The University will also announce changes to campus’s operating status in CornellALERT messages to all Cornell email addresses and to enrolled cellular phones.
Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit has not yet made an announcement on any planned service changes, although they have posted a statement to their website reminding riders to check for travel updates before heading to the bus stop.
“Given that conditions are constantly changing and impacts to routes vary, TCAT asks riders to please consult the TCAT Bus Tracker to see Public Service Messages at the bottom left of their screen,” the statement reads. “Riders are also encouraged to download real-time information apps.”
The Ithaca City School District has also announced that the district will be closed tomorrow. All classes, after-school and evening activities and the ICSD Board of Education are canceled.
“After vigilant monitoring throughout the day, the decision to cancel is made out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our students and staff,” the district said in a press release. “This decision is made in consultation with our Transportation Department, local highway department officials and the National Weather Service.”